Arriving Unannounced
“Take a look at her! You can’t just arrive without an invitation. You should call before you visit, to discuss it. Staying more than a week is also not advisable; they’re tired and want to relax. They’ve got kids with school. And we’ve got our vacation, mind you.”
Daisy expressed all her thoughts on the matter to her mother.
“Tell me about it. It’s completely out of line,” her mother nodded.
“I had a chat with, uh, Laura yesterday,” Daisy continued, “and she mentioned that it was ‘inconvenient’ for us to visit in May. The kids have lessons, and she and Nick are busy with work.”
“And what did you reply?”
“I said they could take some time off.”
“And she?”
“She informed me their vacation is in July, that it’s too late to change dates, and they’re going somewhere. So, they’re unwilling to cancel their plans, and we have to accommodate them.”
No one in the family bothered to explain to Daisy and her mum that others want their holidays too. It seemed pointless anyway.
“Like I said, just pack your bags and head over. They’ll have to deal with it once you’re already there. They can’t do a thing about it.”
“That’s true, but it would be nice if they were expecting us…”
Mostly, they spoke about Laura, not so much about Nick. Nick understood things, but he often agreed to give in.
“Since he started living with that Laura, he’s become a different person. They need to coordinate,” Daisy would say persistently.
“It’s all because of her.”
“Exactly. You can influence Nick but not Laura.”
Daisy planned to visit the northern capital for the May bank holiday to have some fun. They intended to stay with Nick’s cousin. Whether he wanted them or not wasn’t their concern. They wanted to go. They called, had a chat, but Laura, his wife, explained it wasn’t possible. That’s when Daisy got angry.
“Just ignore it. Pack and go.”
“I’ll call again.”
The new conversation changed nothing.
Laura very politely, yet firmly, confirmed they were busy during the May bank holiday. The kids had extra lessons, and then they were going on a family trip. Plus, they didn’t have much money for hosting guests.
“They say they’re going away,” Daisy told her mother.
“Don’t believe it. She’s saying it on purpose.”
In their family, Laura wasn’t liked at all. Ever since she appeared, Nick had formed his own opinions. They used to be able to persuade him on anything. Now, they had to discuss things.
“Do you think?”
“Absolutely. Don’t worry. Start packing tomorrow. Get on the train on Saturday. They’ll have to welcome you home; they won’t have a choice.”
Doubts were there, of course. Daisy was just like her mother. Yet, even she doubted whether to visit people who clearly said they couldn’t meet.
“They don’t want it, but they’ll find a way,” her mother seemed to read her thoughts. “I can see you’ve got doubts. Do you want a break? Take it. Besides, it’s not just about you. Ian and Alex want a break too, as does your husband. So, stop doubting. Once you arrive, they’ll have no choice.”
“Fine.”
Everything was already planned. So, her mother convinced Daisy. The girl didn’t deny that this option suited her. They just had to go. The others would have to manage.
***
Standing in front of the impressive door of Laura and Nick’s apartment with all the bags, Daisy dialed the number. Why hadn’t anyone opened the door yet?
“Hi. Where are you?” Daisy asked straight away, pressing the doorbell again.
“Hi. What do you mean? We’re just about to go fishing.”
“Fishing? You don’t have a river nearby.”
“Of course we do! There’s a river and a lake. A great hotel. Just what we wanted. Evening entertainment too.”
“You’re not home?”
“Laura did mention it to you. When I was there. Yes, I definitely remember.”
Naturally, Daisy remembered. But she didn’t believe they were serious.
“We’ve arrived at yours. We’re at the door. What should we do now since you first invited us and then left?”
“Sorry, but we didn’t invite you.”
“What does it matter? We’re here.”
“Find a room at a hotel. I’m sorry. But we did tell you we couldn’t have you over.”
Daisy didn’t continue the conversation. She was convinced it was Laura and Nick who had behaved poorly.
